Drunken Mistakes
by Beth Ann P
Summary: Gippal gets drunk at a party and does something stupid which has far reaching, outrageous, and funny consequences. GippalRikku. Gippal's POV.
1. Chapter 1

AN:// This is a reposting of a history I started a couple of years ago. My computer crashed and I wasn't able to finish it then, but now I'm back with a new computer and some new ideas. I hope I can find a new audience (or miraculously recapture my old one). I'll probably update one to two times a week. I thrive on reviews so please leave me a comment.

I was not one who often got angry. I was known for my cool, collected, and sometimes arrogant attitude, but tonight I was seething.

He was dancing with her.

Baralai was dancing with my Rikku. And not just dancing, slow dancing, hugging her close to him and whispering in her ear. Dirtbag. Traitor. White haired son of a Chimera. How could he do this to me? He knew how I felt about her. Well, I guess he didn't _know_- How could he? I had never told him- but he had to know, everyone knew. That's why Rikku had never had a boyfriend; everyone was too scared to put the moves on "Gippal's girl." Everyone except Baralai apparently.

I guess it was partly my fault for never making a move. Rikku and I had dated years ago-if you could even call it that, it was one date- when I thought of her as just a momentary distraction from the monotony of day-to-day life in the desert, and it didn't work out to say the least. At the end of the night when I walked her to her room at Home, she had announced she never wanted to see my ugly face again and slammed the door in my face without so much as a good night kiss.

It was only after I blew it with her that I realized how wonderful she really was. I guess life is like that; you always want what you can't have. Of course, I was too stubborn to ask for another chance with her. Then she left Home to go diving for old machina and I didn't see her for three years. I heard of her exploits: becoming a guardian, defeating Sin, sphere hunting, and the rest, but it wasn't until she came to Djose with Paine and that summoner chick to sign up for the dig that I reunited with her.

And then I couldn't say anything. I had a strict policy about never mixing business with pleasure, and, as much as I didn't like it, she was working for me. So I pushed her away. Then the whole Vegnagun thing happened and there was no time for confessions of love unless you were Leblanc. (I really don't know what Nooj sees in her.). After Vegnagun was defeated all the Al Bhed were drafted to the task of rebuilding Home in the Bikanel desert and Rikku and I were working together again.

Here at this party was finally going to be my chance. Home was done so we weren't going to be working together anymore, the Al Bhed had all moved in, including Rikku -though she still left often to go hunt spheres-so we were going to be together again, and I had finally worked up the nerve. But I couldn't get a moment alone with her. All my plans were ruined because of Baralai.

I motioned to the barkeep to get me a drink. He sat a bubbling glass of green liquid in front of me, and I downed it in one gulp. I shuddered. It started doing weird things to my stomach almost immediately. I sent a second drink down after it to straighten it out. That didn't work, so I sent a third drink down to explain to the second one what it was supposed to be doing and a fourth one to provide backup.

I glared out at the dance floor. They were still dancing. Number after number they kept dancing. Baralai said something to Rikku, and she rewarded him with peals of laughter. I had never seen 'Lai so happy; it made me sick to my stomach (or maybe that was the drinks, I wasn't so sure at this point). I was just chugging down a fifth drink so it could inquire as to what the heck the other drinks were doing when Paine came over and sat down beside me.

"How are you enjoying the celebration so far?" she asked.

"I hate it," I said waving my glass around and spilling the green fluid everywhere, "I hate everything-except for you." I looked at Paine fondly, I had never realized how beautiful she was.. all three of her. "You, you're the only person in this whole crazy world that I can trust." I slung an arm around the left Paine's shoulders.

She calmly shrugged my arm off, "How many drinks have you had, Gippal?"

"'Bout four and a half, why?"

She looked at me wryly, "No reason. Just promise me you won't drink any more tonight."

"I won't if you won't," I said pointing a finger at the middle Paine.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "It's a deal. Now let's get you back home before you cause a scene."

"No, I'm perfectly fine," I said evading her attempts to lead me away from the bar and out of the party, "Baralai's the one with the problem and his name is," I hiccupped and lost my place momentarily then I remembered the point I was trying to make and continued, "Gippal." I stood up shakily wondering when my legs had been replaced by rubber and walked out onto the dance floor.

I tapped Baralai on the shoulder, "May I have a word with you?"

"All of you." I added after a moment, "Alone."

The bewildered looking Baralai turned back to Rikku, "If you'll excuse me?"

"Fine," Rikku shrugged casting a suspicious glance at me, "I was about to leave anyway."

Baralai and I walked out into the streets of Luca.

I cleared my throat, "It has come to my attention that we are in love with the same woman."

Baralai stopped, "Really? I thought-"

"Whatever you thought you thought wrong, she's mine and I'm prepared to fight for her," I made a wild swing at Baralai, missed, and almost fell over in the process.

"I'm not going to give up that easily my inebriated friend." Baralai challenged.

"You're not? Man, that sucks." I glared at the white haired praetor, "I bet you don't even know what color her eyes are when she's angry."

"Maroon," he said without hesitating.

"Huh-they always looked just like a lighter green than usual to me." I puzzled.

"Green?" Baralai looked confused too now, then his eyes widened with realization, "Oh, you mean.. ." He smiled. "Listen Gippal, Rikku and I are just friends."

"I'll bet," I fumed, "You looked a little too friendly out there on the dance floor if you ask me."

I swung for him again and this time I did fall over. There was a moment of silence until I said, with all the dignity I could muster, "I can't seem to get up, could you help me?"

Baralai chuckled, "Of course old friend, pending you don't try that again."

"Don't. . . don't. . .don't count on it bub," I said not quite managing to sound fierce. I was really tired all of the sudden.

"Close enough," Baralai said.

He and a nearby guard hauled me to my feet and carried me to Baralai's airship. 'Lai flew me back to home but I refused to let him walk me in.

"Don't trust me to get into bed all right?" I slurred accusingly at the six Baralais that danced in front of my face.

He reluctantly let me go. I staggered into the large kitchen by the mess hall, opened up the cabinet, and took out a random bottle.

"Nothing like a chaser to prevent a hangover," I squinted at the bottle's label "Te-quil-a, eh, sounds all right." I grabbed the neck of the bottle and took a swig. I spat most of it back out though, that stuff was stronger than the green gunk. I dropped the bottle and turned to go up the stairs to the living corridors trying to remember where my room was.

After stumbling around for about ten minutes I found a door that looked like mine. I tried it, it was unlocked. That was good sign; I never remembered to lock my door. I eased the door open and stepped inside. Then I headed towards the bed to collapse; the only problem was there was somebody already in my bed, Rikku. She was dressed only in her yellow bikini and her hair was loose and fanned around her sleeping form. She shifted in her sleep and rolled over on her side.

I racked my fuzzy, drunken brain for an explanation to this new development until I found one that made sense to me in my current state.

Somebody had gotten me Rikku for my birthday!

I marveled at the thoughtfulness of the gift. It was just what I had wanted. And my birthday wasn't even for three months! I slipped off my shirt and pants, climbed in the bed, and wrapped my arms around the slim blonde girl. I buried my face in her hair and kissed her neck. It was a thoughtful gift indeed; I would have to write whoever did this a nice thank you note.

And with that thought I passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke several hours later to a high-pitched scream that seemed to shatter my eardrums. My head felt like someone was playing blitzball with it and I was convinced someone had replaced my tongue with sandpaper. I opened my eyes and blinked a couple times to bring the fuzzy picture into focus. Rikku was sitting beside me on the bed, the covers pulled up to her chin.

"Damn" I thought as surveyed the situation, "You'd think I would remember doing something like this."

"Heey," I drawled groggily as I tried to assemble my face into a sexy smile, "How did you sleep?" I figured that should be sufficient to feel out the situation. Let her explain to me what the hell had happened the previous night. The last thing I remembered was watching 'Lai and Rikku dance and drowning my sorrows in whatever that drink was. Apparently the night had taken quite a turn after that. I couldn't believe I didn't remember it.

She screamed again, not the reaction I was hoping for. She leapt off the bed taking the covers with her and wrapping them around her even more tightly, I could just see the shoulder straps off her yellow top above the makeshift toga. She looked at me in my pinstriped boxers and her eyes widened.

"Quiet sweetheart," I urged, "You don't want to wake all of Home."

"What are you doing in my room?" she asked barely controlled panic in her voice.

"What does it look like?" I gestured to my pants and shirt on the floor.

Rikku let out a choked noise. She looked really cute when she was on the verge of hyperventilating. "What exactly happened?"

"Huh, she 's doesn't remember either," I mused inwardly.

I shrugged and smirked. Despite my raging headache this was turning into a fun morning. I had always loved teasing Rikku and this was the perfect setting. "I don't quite remember but whatever happened I'm sure I was excellent at it."

Her eyes widened even more until it looked like they were going to explode and she shook her head violently, "No, no, no, nonononoonno!"

I raised myself up on my elbows, "Don't worry, I'm sure you weren't too bad yourself."

She let out a little whimper, "This can't be happening."

"But it is," I said positively jovially. I was now sure nothing had really happened but I was having an unholy amount of fun yanking Rikku's chain, "So we might as well make the best of it. You up for another round? One we'll both actually remember this time?"

"You stay away from me!" she shrieked and backed up toward her closet tripping over a stray piece of clutter on the floor and falling over.

I was just about to make another crack when an all too familiar voice called from outside the door, "Everything all right in there? I thought I heard a scream."

"Pops!" Rikku mouthed, a look of pure terror on her face. She composed herself and called back, "Everything's fine! I just had a bad dream and fell out of bed. Nothing to see here!"

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, that wouldn't make him suspicious at all. Riiiiight.

"Well, O.k. Is it alright if I come in for a second though? I have something I want to take to you about.

Rikku gulped and shot me a scared look. "Sure thing Pops, just give me a second though. I have to change."

"Alright."

"Hide," Rikku mouthed to me as she picked up my clothes and shoved them under the bed.

I ran over to the closet without a second thought I did not want to be caught like this by Rikku's father. Rikku grabbed a random outfit off the shelf and shut me in after reminding me to keep quiet.

"Come in," she called after a second.

There was a moment of silence then I heard Cid start to speak.

"Rikku I know I told you you could go back to that hunk of junk your brother calls an airship and chase sphere's after Home was done but . . . the red machina excavation team is short handed and they need some help."

I could visualize Rikku's pout, "But Pooooops!"

"Now it will only be for a few weeks then you can go back to gallivanting all around Spira with those friends of yours."

A heavy sigh, "Fine Pops."

"One more request, if you don't mind."

"Another one?"

"Just one more, could you not wear those little outfits of yours while you're working? They distract the men from their work."

"What will I wear then?" Rikku whined.

"Come on, there must be something appropriate in the that closet of yours."

I saw what was going to happen and I prayed to Yevon I was wrong.

I heard footsteps approach the closet and I tried to no avail to hide myself behind the row of revealing skirts and tops that hung above my head. I remembered why I didn't believe in Yevon.

"Pops no!" Rikku shouted but it was too late. The door to the closet was thrown open exposing me to the light and Rikku's shocked father.

I tried to strike a nonchalant position, "Heeey Cid, how's it going?"


	3. Chapter 3

I felt rather than saw the hand that lashed out and grabbed me by the neck, lifting me off the floor. The sound of loud, creative cursing in my native language assaulted my ears. I made a gurgling noise and struggled to breath. This was it. He was going to crush my windpipe. I was going to be murdered in cold blood for something I did not do.

"Pops! Pops, no! No! I can explain! Poooops! Let him go!" Rikku shrieked as she pounded uselessly on her father's back with her small fists.

Cid let me drop to the ground. "Then explain."

I crawled over to the corner of the room to rest and catch my breath, still watching Cid out of the corner of my eye. He still looked as if he wanted to finish what he had started. I made a mental note that, if I survived this, never to come near Rikku again.

"He. . . ah. . .and I…heh, heh," Rikku paused and ran a hand through her hair. I usually loved to see Rikku uncomfortable but her nervousness wasn't helping the situation. "I don't remember." She said finally. "After the party at Luca I went out with Yunie and Paine. I was kinda depressed; I had been the whole night. And well, I had a couple of drinks…"

Cid puffed up like he was about to begin yelling again and Rikku waved at him with a pacifying hand, "I know, I know, it was stupid. I had never drank before though pops, and I swear I'll never drink again. After the. . .um shots I remember Yunie and Paine taking me back Home and telling me to sleep it off. Then I woke up here with. . .um. . .well, him." She sat down on the edge of her bed, a dejected look on her face, "I didn't mean for anything to happen, I'm not even sure if anything did happen, I wouldn't do something like that, at least I don't think so. Gippal and I were just talking about that when you came."

My heart went out to her, I wanted to just walk over, put my arms around her and tell her it would all be all right. Somehow I had a feeling that that would go over well with Rikku's father though. Suddenly a thought occurred to me.

"Why were you depressed?" I asked her. Cid shot me a dirty look; I probably wasn't supposed to be talking during the interrogation.

Rikku swallowed and, after glancing at her father to make sure he wasn't going to object to her answering the question, said, "Well, as much as I wanted to get back to being a Gullwing full time I had fun being back with my family and friends for awhile, and, well, so much has happened in the past couple of years and things are still changing, now more then ever, I was just afraid that I would end up not seeing…" she paused for a second and bit her lip, "um…everyone, for another three years.

Or even worse that something would happen to Home like it did two and a half years ago and. . . the people I cared about would get hurt. There are people out there who still hate us, we'll never be completely safe and that makes me sad.

Don't get me wrong I wanted to go, I love traveling Spira and I love searching for sphere's but. . . I just wish I could be sure there will be somebody left here waiting for me when I get back." She sighed slightly as if her speech had drained the last of her strength.

Cid seemed unmoved by what she said, for the most part. He was still determined to stay on the topic at hand.

"What's your story, blondie?" he said gruffly.

"About the same, sir," I said respectfully as I sat up a little straighter. I wanted to avoid ticking Cid off by any means necessary, my neck still felt sore. He seemed to be pretty calm now though, almost too calm. I continued, "I was also to the celebration in Luca. I was…er, thinking of how times are changing and wishing that some things" I summoned all my will to keep from looking at Rikku. "Could go back to being how they used to be.

I had a couple of drinks, no, scratch that, I had several drinks. I remember nothing else about the night, but, sir, I can assure you I have nothing but respect and cordial feelings..and er, more respect for your daughter and I would never. . ."

"How do you know?" Cid interrupted quietly.

"Beg you pardon, sir?" I asked.

"How do you know what you would never do? How do either of you know? Neither of you remember that much about last night, and to tell the truth the evidence doesn't work in your favor." He didn't sound angry at all now, just tired.

"Sir I. . ."

"Pops! Don't you believe me?"

"You know," Rikku's father continued with a weary sigh, "You try to bring your kids up right but eventually they'll all betray you and do something stupid."

"But nothing happened!" I wanted to shout; Cid kept forgetting that one simple fact. "Not that I wouldn't have jumped at the opportunity if it had arose under other conditions but nothing happened last night!"

Okay, wrong choice of words. I hoped Cid would still get my point and refrain from murdering me.

Rikku started to sniffle; this was getting to be more than a nightmare for all of us.

"Now don't cry," Cid said looking uncomfortable himself now, "You know that the one thing I can't deal with is seeing my baby girl cry. No, not my baby girl, my adult girl. You are aren't you? You grew up while I wasn't looking. You're old enough to make your own decisions whether I agree with them or not."

Rikku looked up at him hopefully, "I'm glad you're finally realizing that pops."

"You didn't let me finish," Cid argued, "You're more then just my daughter though Rikku, you're a symbol to the Al Bhed people. A princess, an idol of youth, energy, beauty and all that is good in Spira."

"Pops, you're exaggerating" Rikku rolled her eyes.

"Am I? You have to admit the people look up to you. Everyone needs a hero; most of Spira has High Summoner Yuna but the Al Bhed have you. You went out there and helped save Spira not once but twice showing that Al Bhed are just as good as the Yevonites and shattering prejudices. It's because of the work of you and your friends that the Al Bhed are as accepted as they are in Spira today.

But…as irrational as it is, people want their heroes to be flawless. They can't accept them making mistakes; the slightest misstep shatters their confidence. And what we have here is more than a slight misstep.

And that's why, in accordance with the ancient customs, you two are getting married."

"What!?!" I yelled leaping to my feet.

"Pops!" Rikku yelled, "That's beyond old fashioned, that's archaic!"

"If you two marry all, transgressions of the past will be forgiven by the people." Cid said calmly, "There's no shame in getting married this way, in fact, that's how your mother and I tied the knot Rikku."

A slightly disturbed look crossed Rikku's face, "Oh brother!"

Cid smirked wickedly, "Exactly."

"Eww, pops, that's sick," Rikku shook her head violently then returned to the subject at hand, "You can't do this!"

Cid smiled, "I'm the leader of the Al Bhed, I can do whatever I want, sweetie. If need be I will have guards confine you to your room until the ceremony.

"And what if I don't agree to this?" I asked in what I hoped was a challenging tone.

Cid drew a particularly wicked looking knife out of the scabbard on his belt, "Well then I'd have to kill you."

AN:// Stay tuned for a shotgun wedding and don't forget to review.


	4. Chapter 4

AN:// This is a bit more serious than the last couple of chapters, but don't worry. The next chapter starts out with a bang.

I pried open the window of the second story room I had been put in and looked down at the desert below. The ground couldn't be more than fifteen away, I reasoned, and it was just sand; it's not like it would have killed me to jump down. Of course, it would still be a pretty hard landing. I'd probably would have ended up breaking a leg and then of course my valiant escape attempt would have been all for naught.

I looked back the other way toward the only door; my chances were even worse that way. There were three guards out there the last time I saw, and they all looked like they wanted to do more to me than just break my legs.

"Maybe one of then had been hoping to marry Rikku," I mused.

It was going to have to be the window and it was going to have to be quick. The wedding was in a half an hour. Maybe I could time my jump so I landed on a passing hover. I was just about to put my desperate plan into action when Brother walked in through the door.

"Trying to escape, Gippal?" he smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I pulled my head back in and closed the window. "I just needed a breath of fresh air."

Brother snorted derisively, "Yes, I'm sure that was it." He walked over to me and clapped me on the back. "Come on, Gippal, be a man, eh? Stand up and do the right thing."

Now it was my turn for a derisive snort. "Great, I'm getting a lecture about right and wrong from a guy who is in love with his first cousin."

"Shut up," Brother said darkly.

"Ah, I hit a nerve," I thought as Brother's mood took a sharp turn. "Maybe I can use that to my advantage, be such a jerk to him that he'll object to the wedding."

I decided it was worth a try.

"You know," I drawled injecting a smug, arrogant quality into my voice, "If everyone's this upset about what didn't happen between Rikku and I, I shudder to think about what they must think about you. Shamelessly pursuing Yuna who is like a second daughter to your father; refusing to help rebuild home, even Rikku came back to help; not to mention the stories I heard about when you were the leader of the Gullwings. What kind of heartless jerk wants to charge extra for the expelling of fiends when someone's really in danger? What kind of monster charges for fiend removal in the first place? Even when you're trying to help you're a screw up."

"Don't talk about things you don't understand!" he yelled waving his arms in my face.

He was taking the bait, now for the kill. "And why do you think Cid's so worried about how the Al Bhed perceive Rikku anyway? It's obvious he wants her to lead the people after he's gone instead of you, his first-born son. He knows you could never be a good leader."

Brother suddenly stopped waving his arms and a cold, hard look like smoldering fire appeared in his eyes, all traces of the comical, screw up were gone. He sneered at me and said in a quiet voice, "She'll never love you you know."

"What?" I asked. The walls themselves seemed to be holding a breath waiting for his answer.

"I know you're fighting this wedding because you don't want to give up your freedom, not because you don't have feelings for my sister. But she'll never love you the way I can tell you love her. She may be attracted to you physically but if she spends more than a few minutes with you she'll see right through your act to the bastard within, just like she did all those years ago. Soon you'll know the torture of being constantly with the object of your affection, close enough to reach out and touch her, knowing that she'll never feel the same way about you, and not being able to do a thing about. And when that day comes I'll just sit there and laugh."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked back out the door. I walked over to the dressing table and checked in the mirror to make sure my tie was straight, mind reeling and all escape attempts forgotten. Holidays with Rikku's family were certainly going to be fun.

I watched Rikku as her father walked her down the aisle, the perfect picture of pouty defiance to the last. She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking. She joined me up at the altar.

The minister started to speak but I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. I was to busy looking at Rikku, drowning in those eyes, those gorgeous green swirled eyes.

In that moment I had a feeling of absolute certainty that I would never regret this. Even though the circumstances weren't ideal I knew, I just knew, that this was now it was meant to be. I was meant to spend the rest of my life with Rikku. All my fears had been chased away.

This feeling was followed by the memory of what Brother had said and by doubts. What if he was right, what if she didn't love me? I looked deeper into her eyes and resolved that I would make her love me.

In my haze I heard the minister direct a question at me and I said I did. He then turned to Rikku and started the spiel over only with the names reversed this time. She rolled her eyes and muttered, "I don't really have a choice do I?"

The minister pronounced us man and wife and then said the six magic words, "You may now kiss the bride".

To be continued, whenever I get around to it. . .


	5. Chapter 5

AN:// Sorry it took me so long to update. I got off track at the holidays and didn't get back on until now. Also, the bang kind of fizzled. I hope you all still enjoy it though.

"I can't believe you bit my tongue." I said casting an accusing glance at my new wife.

"Well, shouldn't have tried to stick it in my mouth." Rikku said smugly. "You're just lucky I didn't bite it off, that's what I was trying to do."

We were aboard the passenger airship that was going to take us to the hotel in the Moonflow where we would be spending our honeymoon (we had left right after the short reception that had followed the ceremony). Needless to say Rikku was not in her best mood.

"I could turn you in for spousal abuse, you know." I accused jokingly.

That elicited a small smile from her. "Yevon, you men are all such babies." She sighed deeply, "Come here, let me take a look at it."

I jerked back, "No, I'm too scared about what other body parts you'll try to bite off if I come near you again."

Rikku put her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow at me. I relented turning side ways in my chair and laying across the row of seats resting my feet on a not to thrilled looking man to my left and resting my head on Rikku's lap. She told me to open my mouth and began to inspect my blood seeping tongue.

"Don't worry," she assured me as she began extracting things from her bag and mixing them together. "I did this hundreds of times before to Wakka."

"What? You tried to bite off Wakka's tongue when he opened mouthed kissed you too?"

She blushed crimson. "No, you idiot. I meant healing small wounds, not the biting thing. I healed Wakka's cuts and bruises all the time with my mixtures when we were guardians together."

"So you just let Wakka kiss you like that? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Oooh, you jerk, you always twist my words around." She said flicking my ear with her index finger and thumb. "I never kissed Wakka, he was like…"

"The older brother you never had?" I suggested.

"Exac. . .No! I already have an older brother, thank you very much. He may not be perfect but he's always been there for me."

"Hey, hey, easy now little woman. Aren't I allowed to make a joke once in a while? He's my brother now too you know."

"It would be fine if it was once in a while but…what did you call me?" Rikku asked pausing her potion mixing.

"Little woman, as in wife. Like 'Hi I'm Gippal Marklin and this is my little woman Rikku.'"

"Don't call me that." She said spreading the potion mixture on my tongue preventing me from replying.

My tongue healed in a matter of seconds. It was a quick fix though and would probably need to be redone in a couple of hours. Rikku covered the bowl with the remainder of the concoction in it and stuck it back in her bag.

The rest of the trip to the Moonflow was sat out in silence. When we got there Rikku looked around the area, a nostalgic look I her eye. I knew this was the place when she first became one of Yuna's guardians and I also knew she had only been back here on a few quick missions with the Gullwings, never for a long time so left her visit with her memories while I checked us in the inn.

It was an Al Bhed run inn; I recognized some of the workers in the lobby. I told them who I was and the man behind the counter said he had been expecting me. He smiled slyly and gave me the keys to the honeymoon suite. I went back outside and beckoned to Rikku, she came in and followed me up to our room.

I unlocked the door and Rikku tried to get past me to the inside. I threw out an arm to stop her.

"Wait! I have to carry you across the threshold, it's tradition."

She looked at me and we had a confrontation of eyes. She reached one leg out and touched the inside of the room with the toes of one foot.

"I already crossed the threshold on my own." She challenged.

I withdrew my arm and let her walk fully into the suite.

"You're impossible, you know that?" I fumed.

She looked up from the welcome fruit basket, which she had already torn into, stuffing several grapes into her mouth. "Uh huh," she confirmed, her mouth full.

"You probably cursed us or made sure we'll never have children or something horrible like that!"

"I didn't want to have children with you anyway , besides it's just a stupid supersti. . .ooh, oranges!" she said barely paying attention.

I gave up and walked into the room shutting the door behind me.

"Well, I must admit you do know how to pick a restaurant Gippal." Rikku said grudgingly after dinner. "That was absolutely yummy."

"Anything for my dear, darling wife," I said winking at her as we walked down the path back to the hotel.

"O.k. I'm putting that on the 'do not call me that' list right after muffin, pookie, and honey." She said her voice only slightly less sour than it could have been. She had been rejecting my attempts at coming up with a nickname for her all night.

"What was off putting, the dear part or the darling part?" I asked her.

"I think it was the wife part," she snapped.

"That's cold, sweetheart." I said mock offended, "Maybe I should call you Shiva."

"And maybe you should stuff a sock in it." She shot back as she walked into the inn.

I followed her quickly, walking through the lobby and back up to our room quietly, putting on a nice face for the spectators. I pulled the key out my pocket and let us both in.

Rikku walked into the bathroom and shut the door. I shrugged and went about getting ready for bed. I pulled off my sock, shoes, belt, and shirt, opting to keep my pants on, folded them neatly, and laid them on a chair. Then I got in the bed and settled in.

Rikku walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She saw me and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to sleep."

"Not in my bed you aren't." Rikku said firmly.

"We're married now, remember?" I said tiredly.

"I know that dummy," She said kicking the side of the bed. "I just don't want to share a bed with you!"

I sighed heavily, "Fine, I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, not there either." Rikku insisted. "I don't want you sleeping in the same room as me."

"It's a suite, two rooms. I'll be in the living room."

"I said out," Rikku ordered. "Do you want me to call hotel security?"

"Where will I sleep then?" I couldn't believe this was actually happening I was being kicked out of my hotel room on my honeymoon.

"I don't know, and I don't really care. You can sleep on one of the chairs in the lobby."

"Fine," I sighed. I retrieved my shirt and pulled it over my head then walked out, making sure to take my key with me so I could get back in in the morning. I march down the stairs to the lobby; unfortunately some of the staff was still hanging around.

"What's a matter Mr. Marklin?" the clerk asked. "Your wife kick you out already?" The other staff members chuckled appreciatively.

"Nah, just getting some fresh air." I bluffed. "Well, I guess that's enough, I'll be going now." I walked back up the stairs pondering what to do about my predicament. I couldn't stay in the lobby, everyone would know Rikku kicked me out and my reputation would be ruined. I had an idea.

I unlocked the door and walked back into the suite.

"What are you doing here?" Rikku screeched. "I thought I told you to go."

"I am sweetheart, I am," I assured her. "I can't stay in the lobby though, there are people there, it would ruin my image." I crossed over to the window and pried it open. There was a large tree with a long branch that almost came to the windowsill. I reached a hand out and tested it to see if it would move.

"You can't be serious!" Rikku said, "You'll kill yourself!"

"Your concern is touching but I'm sure I can handle it, I mean I have no other choice." I pressed down harder with my hand and the branch creaked. "I just hope it holds up under my weight." I made as if I was about to crawl out the window.

"Wait! Gippal! Come back inside and close that window! You can sleep in here tonight."

I smiled, my plan had worked perfectly.

"Only if you're sure. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything,"

"I'm sure, I'm sure,"

I retreated to the inside of the room and shut the window triumphantly. I walked over to the bed and started to climb in.

"I meant you could sleep inside on the couch." Rikku said raising an eyebrow at me. "There's an extra sheet in the closet. 'Night." She rolled over and closed her eyes.

I frowned at her back. Oh well, it was a start.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey sleepyhead, wake up." Rikku said gently shaking my shoulder.

I lazily opened one eye. "Heey, good morning Shiva," I drawled propping myself up on one elbow. "How'd you sleep in that big old bed all by yourself?"

"Wonderfully," she said shortly flashing me an infuriatingly wide smile. "Now get up you lazy bum, I made us breakfast reservations at that place we went last night."

"Oh, did you now?" I asked genuinely intrigued.

"Yes, we need to talk about some things and I thought it'd be better to do that on a full stomach."

"What kinds of things?" I asked as I made my way over to the closet and picked out a new outfit to wear.

"You know what kinds of things." Rikku said shortly.

"My dear little Rikku," I said turning to face the offending girl, "It is much much too early in the morning for me to know even my own name much less guess the topic of our breakfast conversation."

A hint of a smile crossed her face apparently she knew the feeling. "I'm guessing you're not a morning person."

"Naw, the night holds the key." I replied.

"The key to what?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's too early in the morning." I said as I turned back to the closet.

"Oooh! You are so infuriating some times." She pouted as she stamped her foot.

"I try, I try," I said as a parting shot as I ducked into the bathroom to take my shower.

"I'll have a chocobo egg omelet with tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, onions, and garlic." Rikku told the waiter.

"And for the sir?"

"A Behemoth steak, medium-rare and a double shot of vodka."

"Gippal!" Rikku yelled in a shocked voice, "It's breakfast for goodness sakes!"

"Mix some orange juice in with it to make it "breakfasty"," I told the waiter as I rolled my eyes. "She'll have the same to drink." I added on a whim.

"I most certainly will not." She shrieked but the waiter had already walked away. She fixed me with a suspicious look. "Since when did you become such an alcoholic Gippal?"

"My days in the crimson squad," I answered. "And I'm not an alcoholic. Whenever we had a hard and /or terrifying mission ahead of us Nooj would give us all vodka with our breakfast to "get our courage up" as he put it."

"But you and Paine were only sixteen at the time, two years under Spira's legal drinking age!"

"There's different rules when your doing battle, hon." I smirked.

"Hey!" Rikku said as if something had just dawned on her which it probably had. "Why are you having breakfast vodka now then? Talking to me isn't a terrifying task, is it?"

I just smiled in response.

"Is it?" she repeated louder.

The waiter brought over our drinks. I still didn't respond. "Is it?"

I took a small sip of my vodka orange juice and tried to remember if that mixture had a special name.

"You are such a jerk!" Rikku squealed. She stood up in a huff, stomped over to my side of the table, and slapped me hard across the face.

I blinked my eyes rapidly for a second till the room stopped spinning then looked over at her and said calmly, "Did that feel good?"

She nodded sheepishly as if she was a kid being corrected by her father for doing something naughty.

"Good," I said just as calmly. Everyone in the restaurant was watching us now. "Now go back to your seat and we'll pretend this never happened."

She nodded and ran back to her seat. The waiter brought out our meal.

"Cunno," she said apologetically as looked at the hand mark that still graced my cheek.

"For what? It never happened." I said evenly. Everyone else turned back to their breakfasts disappointedly. They were hoping for a fight or something else interesting to watch.

I dropped my voice, "Besides I'm the one who should be sorry, you were bound to hit me sooner or later with the way I always treat you."

"An apology? From Gippal Marklin? I'm surprised and flattered that you should waste such a rare occurrence on one such as my humble self." She teased as she took a sip of her drink.

"No need to thank me kind madam." I played along, "You are every bit worth the trouble of an apology."

Rikku blushed and took another large sip of her vodka and orange juice. "Thank you for the compliment kind sir," she mumbled.

"I thought you weren't going to drink that," I said gesturing over to the half empty glass in front of Rikku. "It's breakfast for goodness sakes!" I imitated her earlier exclaim.

"Maybe talking to you is a terrifying and arduous task as well, did you ever think of that?" she teased (another big sip of the drink). "I'm just getting my strength up."

"And you called me the alcoholic." I teased.

She shrugged and there was a momentary silence.

"Is this were you thought you'd end up?" I asked her after a moment.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Back when we were kids living in the desert, is this were you thought you'd end up?"

"In a restaurant on the south Moonflow?" she asked.

"No, the whole hero of a nation thing... and I guess the whole married to me thing too."

Rikku finished off her drink in one gulp. "No for one, yes for the other." She said quietly.

"You thought you'd become a hero?"

"No, I thought I'd be married to you."

"Reeally," I leaned back in my chair, "Interesting."

"Oh, get over yourself." She snapped. "Yes, I had and I repeat the very important word had, a crush on you when I was younger. In fact I thought I was in love with you for a while, not a single word or I'll have to hurt you Gippal, but I grew out of it."

"When did you grow out of it, what made you give up on the sexy Mr. Gippal?"

"Are you going to finish that?" she pointed to my drink.

"Making you uncomfortable am I? What's a matter trying to avoid the question?" I said holding the drink aloft and out of Rikku's reach. "Seriously, what made you get over your crush? Was it another guy?"

"Maybe it was because I realized what a jackass you were!" she pouted.

"Hey don't be like that Shiva," I cooed. I handed over the drink. "I was only playing."

She stirred the drink lazily with her finger but said nothing.

"It was another guy wasn't it?" I jabbed after a moment had passed. "You transferred all your feelings for me onto some other poor slob. That's the only way you could have gotten over me."

"You are so conceited," she said not angrily.

"So tell me, who was it?"

She chugged down half of the new the glass in one sip. "Nobody, I just stopped liking you, that's all."

"Tidus?"

"No, I would never do that to Yunie!"

"Sir Auron?"

"He's old enough to be my father!"

"Er...Kimahri?"

She laughed and shook her head.

"Baralai. You fell in love with 'Lai didn't you?" I felt a sinking feeling in my chest as soon as the words came out of my mouth. I did not want to know the answer to this one. I had seen them together at that party, I had seen how much fun they were having, and how good they looked together. I just didn't want my suspicions to be confirmed.

To my eternal surprise Rikku laughed again. "Paine would kill me!"

"What!?!"

"She would absolutely murder me in cold blood if I ever went after her Baralai."

"Her Baralai?"

"You really are stupid aren't you? Of course he's her Baralai. And she's his Paine. They just don't know it yet."

"Really?" I said feeling like a weight was being lifted off my shoulders. Good for 'Lai. Paine was a great girl, a little too intense for my tastes but he was lucky to have her. I was happy for them. I was happy for me. It was a happy moment for Gippal Marklin.

Then a thought popped into my mind and asked what should have been the obvious question. "Then what were you doing with him at that party?"

She gulped down the other have of the drink. "Like I said before, I was depressed that night Baralai was just being a good friend and trying to cheer me up."

"But what were you depressed about, you never gave me a straight answer."

She held her head in her hands as if to make still a spinning room. The first sign she had shown so far that she was tipsy.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else?" she pleaded, "Somewhere more private?"

"Sure," I flagged the waiter down for the check and tried to figure out why she was acting so strangely this morning.

"Ride zee shoopuf?"

"Eh, yeah, we'd love to ride zee, I mean the shoopuf. Could we get one all to ourselves though. It our honeymoon and we'd like a romantic moonlit tour of the Moonflow."

"But eet's the daytime sirrr." The confused hypello answered me.

"A romantic late morning tour of the Moonflow then."

"Suuure thing sirrrr," the hypello answered as he pulled a bottle of wine and two glasses from a box behind him and started to waddle of towards the shoopuf paddock. "Follow me. I'll show you two too your private shoopuf and give you a tour of zee Moooonflow."

"Sure thing," I told the shoopuf driver. "Come on Shiva," I addressed Rikku. "You were the one who wanted to go somewhere private so we could talk."

Rikku nodded faintly, "I feel sick."

"You know that may be because of the two vodkas you inhaled first thing this morning on an empty stomach, just a thought."

My wife gave me a death glare.

"Whoa, chill out Shiva darling, it was just a joke." I said making a "don't go all psycho on me you crazy chick" gesture with my hands. "How come you were drinking so much anyway? I thought you promised your father you would never drink again and seeing as what happened last time you drank I would think you would keep your promise."

"I had (hiccup) brought you there to (hiccup) talk about how we could get out of this marriage. Annulment, running away, ect. But then I realized I didn't want too. But I had to get out of it you see. Because I don't ...but I do...though I can't because you're so...and I'm sure you don't feel the same way. So I drank to get the courage up to still talk about it."

I looked at Rikku puzzledly, she wasn't making any sense.

"Then you started talking about the whole is this where you thought you'd be when you were little thing and teasing me about my crush and I got nervous," Rikku hiccupped, "I didn't like the turn the conversation was taking. As open of a person as I am I don't like to talk about my feelings especially the ones concerning you because of how mixed up they are."

"What are you trying to say?" I said slowly.

Rikku threw her arms open and wobbled shakily on her feet. "Haven't you been listening? I'm trying to say I love..."

But I never found out what she loved because as soon as she got the L word out a sick look crossed her face and she doubled over and threw up on my shoes.


End file.
